Protesters rally to dispute Maduro's claim he won July presidential election in Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela — 

Small groups of absorption protesters rallied Saturday successful Venezuela, joined by supporters extracurricular the country, marking 2 months since the country's disputed predetermination that President Nicolas Maduro claimed to person won.

Opposition person Maria Corina Machado, successful hiding aft denouncing the proclaimed results arsenic fraudulent, called for smaller gatherings to debar information crackdowns seen astatine earlier protests.

About 30 radical shouted slogans astatine a Caracas plaza, including Leida Brito, known arsenic "Red Helmet Grandmother" from her years of anti-government activism.

"Nicolas Maduro should permission due to the fact that helium lost," she said, holding a motion that read: "To support the ballot is simply a right."

"The state of Venezuela is successful danger," Hidalgo Valero, a retired colonel, told AFP. "Today our radical are acrophobic to beryllium successful the streets due to the fact that determination is tremendous repression."

Machado addressed supporters successful a dependable enactment released by her team: "Here we are lasting firm, advancing each time with much spot and enthusiasm, gathered present arsenic the brave and bully Venezuela."

Dozens of absorption leaders person been arrested since the contested poll, on with much than 2,400 different Venezuelans accused of coercion for allegedly taking portion successful protests.

Twenty-seven radical were killed successful the post-election clashes.

The absorption says its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, won the July 28 predetermination with 67% of the vote, releasing its ain tally of polling presumption results.

Maduro, however, was declared the victor with 52% of the ballot by the pro-government National Electoral Council, which has yet to merchandise elaborate voting results, arsenic required by law.

Gonzalez Urrutia, a 75-year-old retired diplomat, near Venezuela this period for asylum successful Spain aft spending weeks successful hiding.

Larger protests besides took spot extracurricular Venezuela, including successful Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Panama City and Montevideo. In Madrid, Gonzalez Urrutia greeted supporters who were waving the Venezuelan flag.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Maduro supporters marched successful Caracas to proclaim triumph successful the election.

Maduro told the assemblage the "supposed queen bee," successful notation to Machado, "is opening to battalion her Gucci suitcases ... she is preparing to leave, too."

"We are not successful Madrid, we are not hiding, we are successful the street," helium declared.

On Thursday, astir 30 countries led by the United States and Argentina urged Maduro to prosecute successful dialog with the opposition.

In a associated statement, the countries called for "constructive and inclusive discussions" connected a antiauthoritarian modulation and to instantly merchandise Venezuelans detained successful the predetermination aftermath.